Monday Overnight Open Thread (5/22/17) Monday All Day Edition

In the United States of America, satire is protected speech, even if the object of the satire doesn’t get it. U.S Senator Al Franken (D-MN)

Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Quote II

I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue! Senator Barry Goldwater (R-AZ)

Today's GOP should take heed.

Quote III

Faced with problems and disappointments, many people will try to escape from their responsibility: escape in selfishness, escape in sexual pleasure, escape in drugs, escape in violence, escape in indifference and cynical attitudes. But today, I propose to you the option of love, which is the opposite of escape. Pope John Paul II

Variety reports 21st Century Fox will seek a new home for the comedy series after ABC cancelled it, despite it being their second most-watched comedy, behind only “Modern Family.”
Studio 20th Century Fox Television is looking for a new home for canceled Tim Allen comedy “Last Man Standing.”

But earlier this month, The Australian uncovered something that felt like a breach in the social contract: a leaked confidential document prepared by Facebook that revealed the company had offered advertisers the opportunity to target 6.4 million younger users, some only 14 years old, during moments of psychological vulnerability, such as when they felt “worthless,” “insecure,” “stressed,” “defeated,” “anxious,” and like a “failure.”

In addition to this, a London School of Economics (LSE) study has found that 1200 laws designed to decrease the pace of climate change have been adopted in 164 countries — these include 47 implemented by the Paris Agreement. Patricia Espinosa optimistically stated at an international meeting on climate change in Bonn, Germany that now “most countries have a legal basis on which future action can be built.”

According to the Little Rock Police Department, active aggression against its officers is up 134 percent from 2015 to 2016.
That oftentimes forces officers to respond.
“I like working the streets,” said Officer Stephen Gorbet. “You get to see all walks of life… there’s no such thing as a routine stop.”

Social justice advocates show a religious-like intolerance for those with whom they disagree, which sometimes manifests itself in unbridled bouts of emotion:
“I see increasing numbers of so-called liberals cheering censorship and defending violence as a response to speech. I see seemingly reasonable people wishing death on others and laughing at escalating suicide and addiction rates of the white working class. I see liberal think pieces written in opposition to expressing empathy or civility in interactions with those with whom we disagree. I see 63 million Trump voters written off as “nazis” who are okay to target with physical violence. I see concepts like equality and justice being used as a mask for resentful, murderous rage.”

“It was kind of a first date from hell,” said 37-year-old Brandon Vezmar, explaining why he sued his date to recover the cost of their brief non-romance in May. The Austin American-Statesman reports today that Vezmar sued the woman last week in small-claims court in Travis County, Texas, seeking to get back the $17.31 he allegedly paid for her ticket to “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2.”

*****

The ONT Musical Interlude

May 22, 1958, Jerry Lee Lewis arrived at London's Heathrow Airport to begin his first British tour, along with his new bride, 14 year old third cousin, Myra. Although advised not to mention it, Lewis answered all questions about his private life. The public's shock over Lewis' marriage marks the start of a controversy leading to his British tour being cancelled after just 3 of the scheduled 37 performances. via thisdayinmusic.com

*****

1968, Gary Puckett and the Union Gap were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Young Girl.' The song which was about under-age sex, was the acts only UK No.1.via thisdayinmusic.com

First, you’ll need a half cup of the following: corn syrup, melted butter, condensed milk, white crystal sugar and brown sugar. Then, get yourself a quarter teaspoon of salt, as well. Put all of these ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

According to a report from South African news outlet News24, a 51-year-old professional big game hunter met his demise on Friday when he was crushed by an elephant. And hey, I’m sure the possibility of that happening is what made his game so “fun.”

Which movie you'll cling to depends on your metrics. "Biggest" could mean the blockbuster that topped the box office during the year you were born. Or maybe "biggest" has cultural value -- prestige doesn't get much bigger than winning Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Or maybe you're a little more thoughtful and need a recommendation. We've got you covered in all three departments. Whether you're 10 or 100 -- seriously, we're not ageist -- everyone deserves a movie they can stream on a whim and call their own. Here are yours (and your friends', and your parents', and your grandparents', and... ):

Robert Gren had 26 minutes left to decide whether to pay the ransom. It was Monday, May 15, three days after the global cyberattack now known as WannaCry had begun, and a clock on Gren’s computer screen was counting down.
Above the clock, there was a warning: “Payment will be raised on 5/15/2017 21:13:40.”

It has been previously pointed out that if one has "animus" within their soul, everything they say to do is necessarily illegitimate and effectively sinful. This has been unabashedly used to delegitimize anything and everything President Trump has done, is trying to do, may do in the future, most notably with his travel ban executive orders.

33"It was kind of a first date from hell," said 37-year-old Brandon Vezmar, explaining why he sued his date to recover the cost of their brief non-romance in May. The Austin American-Statesman reports today that Vezmar sued the woman last week in small-claims court in Travis County, Texas, seeking to get back the $17.31 he allegedly paid for her ticket to "Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2."

Ah, Austin, for people who weren't bright enough to get into Berkeley.

35
Information that you can use:
Some kid did a science fair project on the 30 second rule about eating food that had fallen on the floor. The results of his project showed that 30 seconds was too little time for the food to be contimated in any way. So floor food is fair game.

Joyce was admitted to the hospital today; she has blood clots in her legs and needs to be anticoagulated. Not sure how long she will be in but at least a day or two. Avastin was canceled but will likely be re-scheduled.

The clots are not atypical side-effects of the Avastin.

Please pray that she may quickly resume a path to strength and healing.

[To my fellow, beloved Hordelings, thank you all in advance for your prayers and well-wishes for my sister and our family.]

48
Please pray that she may quickly resume a path to strength and healing.

Posted by: ibguy at May 22, 2017 10:03 PM (vUcdz) You got it, ib. Wish it could be something more tangible but, yes, prayers. Lots of prayers tonight, for the horde and the hubbies and the murdered in Manchester.

Posted by: Peaches at May 22, 2017 10:05 PM (EgOr3)

49I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue!

That's a great quote, and Ayn Rand had one in a similar vein:

"In any compromise between good and evil, only evil benefits."

Posted by: rickl at May 22, 2017 10:06 PM (sdi6R)

50
Oh ibguy, I'm sorry Joyce is in the hospital. I hope they can quickly correct it and get her back out soon, and back on the Avastin.

Posted by: bluebell at May 22, 2017 10:06 PM (sBOL1)

51
Vezmer ain't going to be getting too many swipes on the app, if you get my drift.

67
The computer I'm using right now is loaded with Windows 7. I use this computer to surf because if I get a virus I can't clean, I'll throw it away with no regrets. There have been several times when a screen came on telling me to pay a ransom and all I've done is hit Control-Alt-Delete, open Program Manager, and close out Chrome. It's happened several times and I've never failed to clear it.

Posted by: Bill R. at May 22, 2017 10:10 PM (kySkm)

68
Holy crap, I just googled 1951 movies. Streetcar Named Desire, African Queen, Strangers on a Train. I always knew it was a good year and I sincerely hope those movies are holding up better than I am. :-)

9335 Information that you can use:
Some kid did a science fair project on the 30 second rule about eating food that had fallen on the floor. The results of his project showed that 30 seconds was too little time for the food to be contimated in any way. So floor food is fair game.

Posted by: L, Elle at May 22, 2017 10:03 PM (Rsi2C)

How did he conduct his experiment? Did he swab the floor for bacteria first as well as the food? Did he confirm that there was bacteria on the floor before dropping the food? And then check the food after contact.

Also the 30 second rule doesn't mean dick when there's dog hair on every floor surface.

Posted by: buzzion at May 22, 2017 10:16 PM (cAnNx)

94
"Monica Lewinsky is blaming Roger Ailes - and to a lesser extent, Matt Drudge - for exploiting her relationship with President Bill Clinton so 'mercilessly' that she considered suicide."

96"It was kind of a first date from hell," said 37-year-old Brandon Vezmar, explaining why he sued his date to recover the cost of their brief non-romance in May. The Austin American-Statesman reports today that Vezmar sued the woman last week in small-claims court in Travis County, Texas, seeking to get back the $17.31 he allegedly paid for her ticket to "Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2."

Ah, picked the wrong sex for his preference, I see.

Posted by: Splunge at May 22, 2017 10:16 PM (iMxBJ)

97
1955 movies; East of Eden, Battle Cry, Rebel without a Cause, The Seven Year Itch, Bad Day at Black Rock, Picnic and Lady and the Tramp.

110
Sue them for damages resulting from an Italian dinner at a University in Illinois. A tort Illini.
Posted by: Duncanthrax
---
Honestly - how many years have you been holding on to that one in order to use it in an appropriate thread?

117
y5, good to hear. Sounds like it's really going to happen this time. :-)

Posted by: qdpsteve at May 22, 2017 10:20 PM (eMKNe)

118
Information that you can use:
Some kid did a science fair project on the 30 second rule about eating food that had fallen on the floor. The results of his project showed that 30 seconds was too little time for the food to be contimated in any way. So floor food is fair game.

Posted by: L, Elle at May

30 second rule? WHAT THE HELL? Who is talking thirty seconds? What do you live in a refugee camp in yemen? It is the 5 second rule and even then there are guidelines.

what if you drop it on a pile of ebola refuse?

Posted by: yankeefifth at May 22, 2017 10:20 PM (cPsPa)

119
82 Wanted to ask if anyone has tried the new "Twin Peaks" and what people here think of it.

Posted by: qdpsteve at May 22, 2017 10:12 PM (eMKNe)'

you don't get the day threads?
Posted by: yankeefifth at May 22, 2017 10:14 PM (cPsPa)

Fucking Cardboard Subscriptions

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian at May 22, 2017 10:20 PM (ZTRlp)

120
How did he conduct his experiment? Did he swab the floor for bacteria first as well as the food? Did he confirm that there was bacteria on the floor before dropping the food? And then check the food after contact.

Also the 30 second rule doesn't mean dick when there's dog hair on every floor surface.
Posted by: buzzion at May 22, 2017 10:16 PM (cAnNx)

123
That feel good story made me cry..what a mom. My daughter does not have CP but I've been told that she would probably not be on track for college or any employment and I fully intend to prove them wrong.

127Wanted to ask if anyone has tried the new "Twin Peaks" and what people here think of it.
Posted by: qdpsteve

Scroll down on the main page, cabron.

Posted by: weft cut-loop at May 22, 2017 10:22 PM (udajc)

128
Instapundit has a link up mentioning that both the Czech Republic and Romania have signed an agreement with Germany in which one brigade from each nation's military will be integrated into the German 10th Armored Division.

Or 10th Panzer Division, if you prefer.

Posted by: junior at May 22, 2017 10:22 PM (deapv)

129
Just want to say I like that style of chart for comparison purposes.

Before I go to sleep, I wanted to thank any of you that prayed for my daughters and me to be able to overcome our political differences because Saturday night, i attended a graduation party for my niece, and my youngest, the most ardent anti-trumpster, ran up to me and hugged me when she saw me.

and the oldest, who was with her and equally anti-, was similarly warm and loving.

140
Information that you can use:
Some kid did a science fair project on the 30 second rule about eating food that had fallen on the floor. The results of his project showed that 30 seconds was too little time for the food to be contimated in any way. So floor food is fair game.

Posted by: L, Elle at May

also, the mythbusters did this too and they say the kid at your science fair, the referenced him by name, is a retard and wrong.

142
Ibguy - prayers continue for your sister Joyce and all who love her. Hope she is out of the hospital and back to enjoying good quality of life very soon.
And prayers to all affected by the bombing in Manchester. How horrid to target young people!

Posted by: just wondering at May 22, 2017 10:25 PM (WBYpW)

143
Movie that came out in 1958, Vertigo, Jimmy Stewart and that Kim Novak chick who what has the big breastess.

Posted by: Tinfoilbaby at May 22, 2017 10:25 PM (6Ll1u)

144
30 second rule? WHAT THE HELL? Who is talking thirty seconds? What do you live in a refugee camp in yemen? It is the 5 second rule and even then there are guidelines.

what if you drop it on a pile of ebola refuse?
Posted by: yankeefifth at May 22, 2017 10:20 PM (cPsPa)
******
Tough crowd tonight.
I'm sure the kid factored in the high probability of Ebola refuse being on the floor with his calculations

146
>>"Monica Lewinsky is blaming Roger Ailes - and to a lesser extent, Matt
Drudge - for exploiting her relationship with President Bill Clinton so
'mercilessly' that she considered suicide."

Amazing how 20 years later and she *still* thinks it's someone else's fault.

Maybe you could blame your own willingness to hit on a married POTUS, and oh yeah, his willingness to use and then discard you. Without Linda Tripp's advice on keeping the blue dress she'd have been successfully branded a cray-cray stalker who lusted after Stephanopolous.

16335 Information that you can use:
Some kid did a science fair project on the 30 second rule about eating food that had fallen on the floor. The results of his project showed that 30 seconds was too little time for the food to be contimated in any way. So floor food is fair game.
Posted by: L, Elle

Did he allow for the fact that some people have poorly house broken pets?

Posted by: nerdygirl at May 22, 2017 10:29 PM (+lVUW)

164
Shrapnel was a person, since this is a smart military blog and all

169
As far as food dropping on the floor I've just given up trying to save it.

Fuck it, it's gone.

Posted by: eleven at May 22, 2017 10:30 PM (qUNWi)

170
not sure which is more important, the movie of the year you were born in or the movie of the year your parents conceived you. what was going on when your parents decided it was a good time to take a chance on having you?

175
Instapundit has a link up mentioning that both the Czech Republic and Romania have signed an agreement with Germany in which one brigade from each nation's military will be integrated into the German 10th Armored Division.

176
@154 I get the feeling Ridley Scott handed the editor 4 hours of movie and the editor had two make a two hour movie so he did. Definitely something missing.
-------------------

Haven't seen it, but...

There's an "Alien: Engineers" script floating around on the internet that you can probably find with a bit of searching. Rumor is that it's what the script was originally supposed to be before it mutated into "Prometheus".

Posted by: junior at May 22, 2017 10:31 PM (deapv)

177
128 & 134. Heh....sounds like somebody's getting the band back together.

183171
I was surprised the first time I saw Fred McMurray play a bad guy. He does it so well.

I've read that in real life he was even more squeaky clean than his character was in My Three Sons. He was an expert shooter as well
Posted by: Michael the Texan (formerly TEXIT) at May 22, 2017 10:30 PM (nvMvs)

Yeah, I remember him in "My Three Sons", and he also played Eddie Rickenbacker in a WWII movie. I only learned recently that he also played villains.

Posted by: rickl at May 22, 2017 10:32 PM (sdi6R)

184
Armond White wrote a review at NR saying the new Alien is basically an atheist tract.

Both are chick movies. I don't know if I've seen all of South Pacific, but I've seen Gigi several times. It's charming, once you get past the part that this teenage girl is being groomed to be a high society mistress.

Posted by: shibumi at May 22, 2017 10:33 PM (BPeNq)

186
so, have never watched prometheus straight through. why do they want to take the earth out after the humans find them?

Posted by: yankeefifth at May 22, 2017 10:33 PM (cPsPa)

187
167. I've got good news! That gum you like is going to come back in style.

190
175 Instapundit has a link up mentioning that both the Czech Republic and Romania have signed an agreement with Germany in which one brigade from each nation's military will be integrated into the German 10th Armored Division.

Or 10th Panzer Division, if you prefer.
Posted by: junior

News from 1943?
Posted by: Jean at May 22, 2017 10:30 PM (9TU00)

Which will then be GERMANY's token permanent unit in the new combined EU Military force....

Posted by: Don Q. at May 22, 2017 10:34 PM (NgKpN)

191
Is it supposed to be reassuring that I have less of a chance of being murdered than I do of being killed by undetermined events?

197
186
so, have never watched prometheus straight through. why do they want to take the earth out after the humans find them?

Posted by: yankeefifth at May 22, 2017 10:33 PM (cPsPa)

They never go into that -- lots of holes in the plot. Aggravating, to say the least. The movie had so much untapped potential, but they screwed the pooch with the final product.

Posted by: Sixkiller at May 22, 2017 10:35 PM (sOn7N)

198
188 You were born in 1957, 1972 and 1979?
Posted by: WTF do I know

It's complicated.
Posted by: eleven at May 22, 2017 10:34 PM (qUNWi)

I identify as being born in 1988.

Posted by: CaliGirl at May 22, 2017 10:35 PM (Ri/rl)

199170 not sure which is more important, the movie of the year you were born in or the movie of the year your parents conceived you. what was going on when your parents decided it was a good time to take a chance on having you?
Posted by: yankeefifth at May 22, 2017 10:30 PM (cPsPa)

*looks at movie list*

I have no idea how "Bridge on the River Kwai" would make a couple decide to conceive. I'm not sure I want to know.

He was *so* in love with golf that when he started doing My Three Sons, he insisted the producers shoot all of his scenes in two several-week periods, I think one in early summer and one in late fall, and he would literally spend the rest of the year visiting courses everywhere.

The rest of the cast didn't have a problem with it... except for William Frawley, who was still royally pissed that Vivian Vance torpedoed Desilu's Fred-and-Ethel spinoff because they didn't like each other. He said the out-of-order tapings always left him horribly confused about whatever was going on in each episode.

213
I have no idea how "Bridge on the River Kwai" would make a couple decide to conceive. I'm not sure I want to know.
Posted by: rickl

........

dude, dudes are horney

Posted by: Origional Jake at May 22, 2017 10:38 PM (9Vrfa)

214
I thought that was North by Northwest. I could be wrong, not a movie person, although I've seen all those.
Posted by: Peaches at May 22, 2017 10:36 PM (EgOr3)

You're right, I'm wrong. Vertigo is the one with Kim Novak.

I mixed them up, oh well I tried.

Posted by: CaliGirl at May 22, 2017 10:38 PM (Ri/rl)

215
@197
They never go into that -- lots of holes in the plot. Aggravating, to say the least. The movie had so much untapped potential, but they screwed the pooch with the final product.
------------------

Saw a headline somewhere the other day mentioning that the new movie (which I have no interest in seeing) retcons out the existence of the xenomorph queen. If so, I get the impression that Scott has decided he's going to "reclaim" the franchise from those who came later. That's not necessarily a problem with the third and fourth movies (or the AvP movies).

But people probably aren't going to be too happy if he's decided to try and get rid of the second movie.

Posted by: junior at May 22, 2017 10:38 PM (deapv)

216
Mom's been visiting all weekend. Today we went to the Reagan Presidential Library. It was pretty cool.

217
They never go into that -- lots of holes in the plot. Aggravating, to say the least. The movie had so much untapped potential, but they screwed the pooch with the final product.
Posted by: Sixkiller at May

Thanks

so prometheus is set in 2093 and Alien is 2122. Is Alien Covenant between those two?

Posted by: yankeefifth at May 22, 2017 10:38 PM (cPsPa)

218
If the germans ever get their armored mojo back it could be scary . Fuckin' Leopord 11 is pretty badass from what I understand . Assuming the armored force ain't 40% muslim . I doubt those boys can keep a modern tank running for long .

Posted by: awkward davies at May 22, 2017 10:39 PM (JsMw3)

219 so, have never watched prometheus straight through. why do they want to take the earth out after the humans find them?
Posted by: yankeefifth

Cutting room floor. Along with the 23 other unanswered questions from the movie.

If I dropped a rock on the floor in the kitchen, our dog would gobble it up. I don't think she ever chews food.
----------
Hell, if my daughter holds her food carelessly my dog will steal it. She's figured out who's chair to sit under. I had to wrestle half a slice of pizza from her tonight......

225Maybe you could blame your own willingness to hit on a married POTUS, and oh yeah, his willingness to use and then discard you.

What is it about Dems and their propensity to deposit bodily emissions somewhere in the White House? Bill's spooge on Monica's dress and Comey's snot on Mooch's wardrobe the WH drapes. Pathological, it is.

235
218 If the germans ever get their armored mojo back it could be scary . Fuckin' Leopord 11 is pretty badass from what I understand . Assuming the armored force ain't 40% muslim . I doubt those boys can keep a modern tank running for long .
Posted by: awkward davies at May 22, 2017 10:39 PM (JsMw3)

244
David Lean was an *incredible* director. Supposedly even Stanley Kubrick was in awe of him.

But I've read he was so demanding, it was a given that after he completed every one of his movies, he had made a whole new bumper crop of enemies.

Posted by: qdpsteve at May 22, 2017 10:44 PM (eMKNe)

245185 Both are chick movies. I don't know if I've seen all of South Pacific, but I've seen Gigi several times. It's charming, once you get past the part that this teenage girl is being groomed to be a high society mistress.
Posted by: shibumi at May 22, 2017 10:33 PM (BPeNq)

Hey, thanks! I didn't get a lot of credit for that one. Always resented it.

Posted by: Ben Affleck at May 22, 2017 10:44 PM (iMxBJ)

246
Evenin' Horde. 1971 had nothing to be ashamed of in cinema. Willy Wonka (original), Dirty Harry, Fiddler on the Roof, French Connection...

Posted by: Brother Cavil at May 22, 2017 10:44 PM (66CWr)

247
There were a number of very dark movies made in 1969. "Midnight Cowboy", "They Shoot Horses, Don't They", and "Easy Rider" come to mind. There were a couple of others I can't think of at the moment.

If TheJamesMadison is here, perhaps a 1969 movie thread might be interesting.

Posted by: rickl at May 22, 2017 10:44 PM (sdi6R)

248244 But I've read he was so demanding, it was a given that after he completed every one of his movies, he had made a whole new bumper crop of enemies.
Posted by: qdpsteve at May 22, 2017 10:44 PM (eMKNe)

Interesting. So are you thinking that North by Northwest is the popcorn flick? I guess I can see that. On the other hand, Cary Grant goes from being a shallow advertising executive to risking his life for his country.

I like Vertigo but I really like North by Northwest. There's just no such thing as a bad Cary Grant movie.

May check in later. I'm ecstatic we found the sewer line for our new building. After paying an architect, an engineering company they build us as a new building and don't have a clue as to where the sewer connection is.

And we paid the city over $800 to connect, but they can't tell us where. Cokesuckers.

I'm ready to sue someone's ass. Let's hope we get it connected, its a long way and may not have enough drop to work. GRRRR.

Inspired by our resident highbrow movie philosopher, I spent $22 on the Criterion Blu Ray of Chimes at Midnight, heedless of my previous failed attempts to "get" Shakespeare. I am out to acquire some culture, dammit!

Now I just have to make myself watch the darned thing. I admit that part of my argument for buying it was "these Criterion things become unavailable, and if I never open it, it will probably be worth $50 in a few years."

273
Michael, fair points. It's not that there's nothing heavy in NXNW, it's that the overall outlook on life, the universe and everything is so much brighter, than in Vertigo.

Vertigo basically says, people go through life making all the same stupid mistakes over and over and over again and are pretty much doomed to that forever. NXNW says the usual Hollywood thing, that we all can overcome (which I admit I also would prefer to believe).

Posted by: qdpsteve at May 22, 2017 10:50 PM (eMKNe)

274247 There were a number of very dark movies made in 1969. "Midnight Cowboy", "They Shoot Horses, Don't They", and "Easy Rider" come to mind. There were a couple of others I can't think of at the moment.

Splunge, ooo! Can't ever go wrong with a Criterion disc. There's a lot of 'em I want right now.

Posted by: qdpsteve at May 22, 2017 10:52 PM (eMKNe)

278218 If the germans ever get their armored mojo back it could be scary . Fuckin' Leopord 11 is pretty badass from what I understand . Assuming the armored force ain't 40% muslim . I doubt those boys can keep a modern tank running for long .
Posted by: awkward davies

Those boys can't shoot beyond ballistic battlesight, either (1500 m for a tank).

I would not care to fight against Leo 2s competently crewed.

Posted by: Iron Mike Golf at May 22, 2017 10:52 PM (di1hb)

279I'm 1960 as well. I was surprised the first time I saw Fred McMurray play a bad guy. He does it so well.

I've read that in real life he was even more squeaky clean than his character was in My Three Sons. He was an expert shooter as well
Posted by: Michael the Texan (formerly TEXIT)

285274
I wouldn't include Easy Rider as a dark movie. It had a happy ending!
Posted by: Puddleglum at May 22, 2017 10:50 PM (+y0MR)

Heh.

Posted by: rickl at May 22, 2017 10:53 PM (sdi6R)

286245 185 Both are chick movies. I don't know if I've seen all of South Pacific, but I've seen Gigi several times. It's charming, once you get past the part that this teenage girl is being groomed to be a high society mistress.
Posted by: shibumi at May 22, 2017 10:33 PM (BPeNq)

A Gigi remake these days would involve grooming little boys and would receive NAMBLA's highest rating.

297
so, have never watched prometheus straight through. why do they want to take the earth out after the humans find them?

Posted by: yankeefifth at May 22, 2017 10:33 PM (cPsPa)

Just watched it recently for the first time. My thought was wiping out the earth was pre programed before the big dude went into the thingamajig chamber. The humans waking him up started the old plan in motion again. But then again I don't think much when I'm trying to be entertained so I'm probably wrong.

Posted by: X-ray at May 22, 2017 10:55 PM (Fz5yy)

298
I wouldn't include Easy Rider as a dark movie. It had a happy ending!
Posted by: Puddleglum
------------

I know that a number of years ago, after someone influential (no idea who) complained about all their high-falutin' artsy fartsy titles, Criterion decided to release an edition of Michael Bay's "Armageddon."

yeah McMurray plays evil characters surprisingly well. you should watch the lost My Three Sons shows, there are only five of them. They explain how Fred came to be a lonely father of three and how "uncle" charlie was coerced into being the housekeeper. very disturbing. there are a couple of scenes that may explain ernie's later drug addiction. He plays evil really well. Some of it was source material, though greatly toned down, for Blue Velvet.

306
Easy Rider is a world class stinker.
Posted by: Krebs v Carnot
--------
It was as though Hopper and Fonda selected the 'actors' from among their stonner friends. How they got Nicholson, I'm uncertain.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at May 22, 2017 10:58 PM (ZO497)

307
Wasn't Barbara Stanwick in Double Indemity? There was some real evil in that one. I just realized, I don't hate movies, I just hate the last few decades of movies.

311299 I know that a number of years ago, after someone influential (no idea who) complained about all their high-falutin' artsy fartsy titles, Criterion decided to release an edition of Michael Bay's "Armageddon."
Posted by: qdpsteve at May 22, 2017 10:56 PM (eMKNe)

I have seen, somewhere, an argument that Michael Bay is a great and much-imitated director. OK, it was probably Cracked. But it was pretty convincing.

Not having seen any of his movies, I couldn't really judge.

Posted by: Splunge at May 22, 2017 10:59 PM (iMxBJ)

312
Sands Of Iwo Jima and She Wore A Yellow Ribbon, both with John Wayne and both made in 1949. Same year Eromero was born.

314
Any thoughts on that Russki T-14 Armata thing? Looks like an amazing bit of engineering, but not sure they can bankroll such a thing.
Posted by: Your Decidedly Devious Uncle Palpatine. Glory to Kekistan! No Longer Accepting Harem Applicants at May

yeah, no money.

Posted by: yankeefifth at May 22, 2017 11:00 PM (cPsPa)

315309 Splunge, yup. Criterion did the same thing for One-Eyed Jacks. The only editions available before Criterion's (that came out last year), were horrible public domain copies.
Posted by: qdpsteve at May 22, 2017 10:58 PM (eMKNe)

Now if they could just find the lost footage for The Magnificent Ambersons.

Posted by: Splunge at May 22, 2017 11:01 PM (iMxBJ)

316
The scene in Easy Rider where they are throwing grain on the dirt is classic. And Fonda says "They're going to make it". Hopper is right. They're nuts.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at May 22, 2017 11:01 PM (Lqy/e)

317
Our local killing over night seems to have the Hell's Angels involved, imagine that.

319306
It was as though Hopper and Fonda selected the 'actors' from among their stonner friends. How they got Nicholson, I'm uncertain.
Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at May 22, 2017 10:58 PM (ZO497)

That was Jack Nicholson's debut, wasn't it?

Anyway, it had a decent soundtrack. I was surprised what an overall downer the movie was the first time I saw it.

Posted by: rickl at May 22, 2017 11:01 PM (sdi6R)

320
288
Any thoughts on that Russki T-14 Armata thing? Looks like an amazing
bit of engineering, but not sure they can bankroll such a thing.

The world's best armies have to at least build these fantasy weapons, if only as experiments... Whether or not they can be deployed in great numbers in peace time is irrelevant -- the day will come when what they cost will become irrelevant! The magnificent F-22 is in this category.

Posted by: Zettai Ryoiki at May 22, 2017 11:01 PM (e9G8E)

321
@292 Thanks. I knew they were involved somehow. You know anything about the Merkava ? How does it rank?
-----------------

Couldn't tell you. I don't have enough info on it.

The problem with trying to evaluate the Merkava in comparison with other tanks is that it hasn't really done much head to head stuff, and it's designed for Israel's battles which are somewhat different than what other parts of the world expect to deal with. So it's difficult to guess how a battalion of them would do if they had to fight in Central Europe.

As for the Armata, which was mentioned above, the problem is figuring out how much is real and how much is Potemkin Combat System by the Russians. We won't know until some of them see actual combat.

On another note, a few months ago I saw a comment asserting that the US is moving toward a "use drones to spot the enemy at extreme range, and then pick them off with our magnificent main gun" role for the M1A3.

Posted by: junior at May 22, 2017 11:01 PM (deapv)

322
Just watched it recently for the first time. My thought was wiping out the earth was pre programed before the big dude went into the thingamajig chamber. The humans waking him up started the old plan in motion again. But then again I don't think much when I'm trying to be entertained so I'm probably wrong.
Posted by: X-ray at May

heh

Posted by: yankeefifth at May 22, 2017 11:02 PM (cPsPa)

323298 I wouldn't include Easy Rider as a dark movie. It had a happy ending!
Posted by: Puddleglum
------------

Are you saying that those guys were shiftless, drug-dealing assholes?
Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc

331Anyway, it had a decent soundtrack. I was surprised what an overall downer the movie was the first time I saw it.

Addendum: I thought it was supposed to celebrate freedom and such, but nobody was very happy in it. Dennis Hopper's character was downright angry and hostile.

Posted by: rickl at May 22, 2017 11:04 PM (sdi6R)

332Tonight my car started shaking while at low speeds, accompanied by something clanging in the rear. Also the exhaust pipe is puffing out air when startet up cold and idle. Also, I burned a quarter tank in only an hour and half of driving.

Any ideas.

Posted by: Serious Cat at May 22, 2017 11:04 PM (yyUBK)

333273 Vertigo basically says, people go through life making all the same stupid mistakes over and over and over again and are pretty much doomed to that forever. NXNW says the usual Hollywood thing, that we all can overcome (which I admit I also would prefer to believe).
Posted by: qdpsteve at May 22, 2017 10:50 PM (eMKNe)

Thanks, I'll watch for these things the next time I see Vertigo.

My favorite Jimmy Stewart movies are his westerns. My least favorites are ones like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. I know that's heresy but I just never enjoyed the movie.

335
Wherefore in the name of God the All-powerful, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, of the Blessed Peter, Prince of he Apostles, and of all the saints, in virtue of the power which has been given us of binding and loosing in Heaven and on earth, we deprive Spongebob Squarepants and all his accomplices and all his abettors of the Communion of the Body and Blood of Our Lord, we separate him from the society of all Christians, we exclude him from the bosom of our Holy Mother the Church in Heaven and on earth, we declare him excommunicated and anathematized and we judge him condemned to eternal fire with Satan and his angels and all the reprobate, so long as he will not burst the fetters of the demon, do penance and satisfy the Church; we deliver him to Satan to mortify his body, that his soul may be saved on the day of judgment.

340
@320 The world's best armies have to at least build these fantasy weapons, if only as experiments... Whether or not they can be deployed in great numbers in peace time is irrelevant -- the day will come when what they cost will become irrelevant! The magnificent F-22 is in this category.
----------------

Plus, with tanks you might be able to convince someone to buy the thing and help recover costs on it. The Russians have been living off of reworked T-72s (T-90) and T-64s (T-80) for decades now. They need something new and sexy to get people buying.

342
The ending of Easy Rider is a downer, no question. And it's so far out of left field as to be mindbending.

Can't help but suspect Dennis Hopper thought an ending like that would be great "Oscar bait."
Posted by: qdpsteve
----------

There was no good way to end it. These two guys were losers. A seemingly unjust, poignant ending was all that was left.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at May 22, 2017 11:06 PM (ZO497)

343
I know it's not the book thread but Rick Bragg wrote an excellent biography of Jerry Lee. He interviewed Lewis and got some great stories about his early life.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at May 22, 2017 11:06 PM (Lqy/e)

344
Dennis Hopper was great in True Romance as was Gary Oldman. Less than 15 minutes of screen time but they killed it.

Posted by: Jack Sock at May 22, 2017 11:06 PM (IDPbH)

345
>>Tonight my car started shaking while at low speeds, accompanied by
something clanging in the rear. Also the exhaust pipe is puffing out
air when startet up cold and idle. Also, I burned a quarter tank in only
an hour and half of driving.

347333 My favorite Jimmy Stewart movies are his westerns. My least favorites are ones like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. I know that's heresy but I just never enjoyed the movie.
Posted by: Michael the Texan (formerly TEXIT) at May 22, 2017 11:04 PM (nvMvs)

He can be...excessively earnest, yes? Easy to get too much of?

My favorite is an early performance, in The Thin Man. He doesn't stand out, in a way, but he is superb in all aspects of the role.

Posted by: Splunge at May 22, 2017 11:07 PM (iMxBJ)

348
That caramel recipe - I've been using the same recipe for years (except I use a cup of everything), but it's SWEETENED condensed milk, not condensed milk. Big difference. I've never tried making it in the microwave. I've always cooked it on the stove until it reaches the soft ball stage. The caramels are delicious - sweet and buttery.

I think the 'downer ending' the audience was expecting, was for Hopper/Fonda to end up doing some bad acid and basically getting killed that way. Or, one of them gets killed, the other moves on "in his memory."

Posted by: qdpsteve at May 22, 2017 11:07 PM (eMKNe)

350
Amazing engineering & technology, but not enough rubles to get them in significant numbers.

Meh, they usually max one spec in their designs and are marginal on the rest. That's across-the-board planes, ships, subs, etc.

And, Hello once again, Miss Peaches.
It's so nice to see your name here again!

Posted by: Fried Baloney Sandwich at May 22, 2017 11:09 PM (EfigE)

356
I confess that I did a walking tour when I visited New Orleans so that I could see that tomb they used in the acid trip sequence.

Posted by: Notsothoreau at May 22, 2017 11:10 PM (Lqy/e)

357
Tonight my car started shaking while at low speeds, accompanied by something clanging in the rear. Also the exhaust pipe is puffing out air when startet up cold and idle. Also, I burned a quarter tank in only an hour and half of driving.

358307 Wasn't Barbara Stanwick in Double Indemity? There was some real evil in that one. I just realized, I don't hate movies, I just hate the last few decades of movies.
Posted by: PeachesYup, film noire plot where the bad, but beautiful woman leads the man down an evil path.

373
So I'm visiting my parents who are in their 80's. It's been a tough year so far for my family. First my older brother's wife committed suicide, then my younger brother died from cancer in April, and now my mother is depressed and waiting to die. She sleeps for hours each day, isn't interested in eating, and can't understand why we want to figure out what's wrong with her. She's just ready to go.

It's hard to watch and I feel sad for my dad, who isn't ready to check out of life yet. I wish I could get my mom interested in living again.

Posted by: biancaneve at May 22, 2017 11:12 PM (QeLWM)

374
Hey, guys, it's okay. I can hear them coming. The sound is in the air. It;s been there for a while, it's just now that I can tell that it's not the air conditioner.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at May 22, 2017 11:13 PM (MZcWR)

375
343 I know it's not the book thread but Rick Bragg wrote an excellent biography of Jerry Lee. He interviewed Lewis and got some great stories about his early life.
Posted by: Notsothoreau at May 22, 2017 11:06 PM (Lqy/e)

Nothing wrong with that once in a while we read books here.

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian at May 22, 2017 11:13 PM (ZTRlp)

376
IBGuy, thanks for the update. Praying her clots are sorted out and she's out and about soon.

378
The ending of Easy Rider is a downer, no question. And it's so far out of left field as to be mindbending.

Can't help but suspect Dennis Hopper thought an ending like that would be great "Oscar bait."

Posted by: qdpsteve at May 22, 2017 11:03 PM

Maybe. I suspect it was written that way for a good reason story wise. It had to end that way. It's not like a hell of a lot actually happens, other than Nicholson's character getting taken out, which leads finally to the other two. Without that sudden ending, where would the story finish? It would just peter out, with no real conclusion. It was already an ambling plot of randomness, really. A random heavy finish was needed. If not, they would just ride into the sunset, or lay on a beach somewhere and fail as a story. It was inevitable.

Impreza... only if it's a WRX... or you are a "chick" who enjoys sporting a mullet and flannel.

Posted by: an indifferent penguin at May 22, 2017 11:15 PM (nHbAq)

392
Looks like George Bush's chickens have come home to roost again. Trump should just resign. Obama's exquisite Presidency of intelligence and peace seems like a dream now.

Posted by: Corrupt Media at May 22, 2017 11:15 PM (qYCgM)

393My favorite Jimmy Stewart movies are his westerns. My least favorites are ones like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. I know that's heresy but I just never enjoyed the movie.
Posted by: Michael the Texan

He was so good in rear window. The scene where he's watching from his window while his girlfriend is snooping around the bad guy's home, and the bad guy comes home. Great suspense.

Posted by: nerdygirl at May 22, 2017 11:15 PM (+lVUW)

394
My neighbors have a Subaru Outback, and it's pretty nice.
And no, they aren't lesbians. They have three sons (vanity license plate is MY3SUNS)
Posted by: Bossy Conservative....outlaw in America at May

personalized plates are reason enough to hate anyone.

Posted by: yankeefifth at May 22, 2017 11:16 PM (cPsPa)

395
Bossy, thanks for being the only one not to make extrapolations about my sex life based on my car nameplate choices :-)

Posted by: qdpsteve at May 22, 2017 11:16 PM (eMKNe)

396He also was the lead in "The Man Who Knew Too Much".
Posted by: mpthompson

well, I think I loathe everyone that I know personally that owns one because they are liberal.

they are well made cars but expensive to repair. if you have one of the awd models and you lose a tire you are probably going to have to replace the entire set because they have one of the tightest tolerances for tire wear; Audi is equally tight.

Okay, here's the thing. My car dude (totally reliable) told me that Subarus have a timing belt and you have to pull the entire engine to change it out, around 60,000 miles. I don't know if this is still true, or if they all have that. But it's about $2000 to do. It was enough to put me right off and, yes, some of their cars seem pretty nice.

430
426 QDP Steve, if you find yourself having narrowed you choices down to a mini cooper and a subaru you are going to have to make some lifestyle changes.
Posted by: yankeefifth at May 22, 2017 11:23 PM (cPsPa)

I know it's like night and day with Hyundai. Oh the horrific reviews they used to get back in the 1980s...

Posted by: qdpsteve at May 22, 2017 11:27 PM (eMKNe)

442
After perusing 400 comments, let me be the first to say that there is bacteria on everything.

Posted by: Filleus T. Fantum at May 22, 2017 11:27 PM (7oN1i)

443
Dick Morris did spit the foot out of his mouth last year long enough to say, hey, this orange haired guy could win.

Posted by: boulder terlit hobo at May 22, 2017 11:28 PM (6FqZa)

444
>> I still remember when Miatas were all the rage in the early 1990s

There's an entire race series devoted to Miatas. And they actually have a pretty good resale value.

Posted by: garrett at May 22, 2017 11:28 PM (ked5m)

445
Good friend recently bought a used Audi. I think a T8 (he said it's really rare). 2014, used, paid $70,000. I'm sure it was nice before his 9-year-old trashed the entire passenger area. I remember when cocaine was God's way of letting you know you had too much money.

449
The real tragedy of the regrettable events in Manchester would be a Trumpian attack on our diversity and a backlash against mostly peaceful Muslims.

Posted by: cm9000 at May 22, 2017 11:29 PM (C06tc)

450
>>After perusing 400 comments, let me be the first to say that there is bacteria on everything.

There's way worse stuff on the curtains.

Ask Director Comey or our own Masturbatin' Pete.

Posted by: garrett at May 22, 2017 11:29 PM (ked5m)

451
Thanks for the prayers, people. There doesn't seem to be too much I can do, other than give my dad a break every now and then. I'm trying to figure out the easiest way to wash my mother's hair tomorrow. She just doesn't care.

On the plus side, I don't feel guilty going through the house and doing a little decluttering. I'm not throwing out anything remotely valuable, just food several years past the expiration date, odd buttons, junk like that. I tried to do this a few years ago and my mother got very upset.

Posted by: biancaneve at May 22, 2017 11:29 PM (QeLWM)

452
Good friend recently bought a used Audi. I think a T8 (he said it's really rare). 2014, used, paid $70,000. I'm sure it was nice before his 9-year-old trashed the entire passenger area. I remember when cocaine was God's way of letting you know you had too much money.
Posted by: Peaches at May

458
In honor of Jerry Lee Lewis: a whole concert, entitled Last Man Standing, a reference to the fact of the Big Four performers from the Sun Records stable, Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee, he is the sole survivor:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8skm-l9amTc

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at May 22, 2017 11:30 PM (0deF2)

459That idiot homosexual on Fox News right now is giving ideas to the terrorists on how best to attack Americans in large groups.

I got the new Consumer Reports car issue. Still good advice, even if it seems they always say the same things about the same brands.

Posted by: qdpsteve at May 22, 2017 11:32 PM (eMKNe)

467
A terrorist attack in Manchester that kills 19 and wounds scores more and those assholes at CNN and MSNBC are ranting and raving about President Trump and Flynn.
The limp dicks at CNN are doing a SPECIAL REPORT about the Traitorous Trump and the trouble he's in.

My blood boils.

Posted by: I'm Tucker Carlson and I will destroy you at May 22, 2017 11:32 PM (0/1SX)

468
I've read that Audi is for people who don't think BMWs are quirky enough.
Posted by: qdpsteve at May

the only reason to buy an Audi is for the Quattro awd, but that is a hell of a reason.

Posted by: yankeefifth at May 22, 2017 11:33 PM (cPsPa)

469
Wow. Shep is now giving examples of specific places and events where terrorist could k*ll americans.

471
461 have no experience with hyundai, but, have always thought the Veloster was a fun looking car. better looking than anything else in its class.
Posted by: yankeefifth at May 22, 2017 11:32 PM (cPsPa)

I just don't care for low-slung cars with flat roofs. They look like clown cars.

473
Movies like Flight of the Phoenix that were shot essentially in a room with minor outdoor scenes. Required well written dialogue and a non MTV infected audience.

Posted by: X-ray at May 22, 2017 11:34 PM (Fz5yy)

474
I've read that Audi is for people who don't think BMWs are quirky enough.
Posted by: qdpsteve

I've owned both. I would buy an older BMW (in good shape) in a minute. I love driving the Audi, but would never buy another one again.

The older BMW's are great fun to drive and you can do a lot of work yourself, but scary in winter (snow), unless you have an AWD version (which used to be really rare). The X-drive (AWD) is more common now in the later models.

I was looking at a late model used Z4 last summer, and it was over $40 grand. Are you kidding me?

495On the plus side, I don't feel guilty going through the house and doing a little decluttering. I'm not throwing out anything remotely valuable, just food several years past the expiration date, odd buttons, junk like that. I tried to do this a few years ago and my mother got very upset.

Mrs. Krebs is dealing with the recent move of her folks to a "retirement community" and all the attendant dustups with her four siblings and her mother over who gets what from the things that didn't make the move so that they can clear out the house in order to put it on the market. It's really brought down my opinion of practically everyone involved.

I did my bit for the cause on Saturday by spending four hours cleaning everything out of the crawl space -- mostly lumber and other detritus from past DIY projects. Did it by myself, per my own preference.

500
No, you don't have to pull the engine to change the timing belt, at least not on any that I have owned. I've had a 2wd hatchback bought new in the late 80's, an Impreza wagon, and 4 different Foresters. No, I'm not a lesbo, I just like Subaru's all wheel drive because I drive on slick roads a lot and like the durable boxer engine design that they use.

You will need to have the timing belt changed out every 75,000 miles, at around $600-700 cost. Stay away from the turbo models as they tend to blow up early. You will be underwhelmed with the acceleration. They handle well though, and will last a long time. Good in crashes too, don't ask me how I know.

Hope to god our house is de-cluttered by the time it's time for me to leave

Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian at May 22, 2017 11:42 PM (ZTRlp)

510
I've had two Subaru's, before they became lesbian liberal cars. Fixing them is expensive.

Then I went Toyota... and I have not gone back. As someone in the Detroit area, I will NOT support the pukes in the UAW and buy American.

/btw, I once had an argument with a co-worker, only to find out my Jap car was made in the US, and his American car was built in Mexico. Did not make Mr. Liberal Union Psycho Dude.

Posted by: shibumi at May 22, 2017 11:42 PM (BPeNq)

511
mini coopers are a demonstration of stupidity. you pay 30% more for a car with inferior technology and engineering compared with products from korea and japan.
Posted by: yankeefifth at May 22, 2017 11:39 PM (cPsPa)

I don't know about that but it still is cute as hell and fun to drive.
Girl logic, it looks pretty.

Posted by: CaliGirl at May 22, 2017 11:42 PM (Ri/rl)

512
When stationed in England, Mini Coopers were shit cars. Amazing how things can be rebranded.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory at May 22, 2017 11:43 PM (dMUXi)

513
I don't mind the Veloster's looks, though it's oddball enough that it looks better in metallic tangerine than black or white.

It even has a manual transmission. Not fond of FWD and the 1.6L 201hp turbo is kind of flogged to within a millimeter of its life (I haven't found the torque curve but I'd bet it's a little peaky and jaggy).

And the "sporty" model isn't the most expensive and weighed down with every gadget, which is encouraging.

My youngest sister's first car was a 1989 Toyota Celica. It was nice, but literally almost felt like driving a toy car.

Posted by: qdpsteve at May 22, 2017 11:44 PM (eMKNe)

518I see seemingly reasonable people wishing death on others and laughing at escalating suicide and addiction rates of the white working class. I see liberal think pieces written in opposition to expressing empathy or civility in interactions with those with whom we disagree.

Where the fuck has she been hiding??? That shit has been going on for decades.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at May 22, 2017 11:44 PM (quw2O)

519
If one is buying any car knowing that it has an "Interference Engine" is important. Not a deal breaker but an issue that can take a motor out if proper maintenance schedules aren't followed. This is especially true with used cars.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interference_engine

Posted by: X-ray at May 22, 2017 11:44 PM (Fz5yy)

520
I'll buy another Jeep Wrangler when the time comes. The great thing about a Wrangler is the body style remains the same.

I'm going to order the same one for my new Tahoe because it's also black.

They are black plates with yellow numbers like the 60s plates.

Posted by: CaliGirl at May 22, 2017 11:47 PM (Ri/rl)

527
Peaches, I'm living out in Santa Paula nowadays while I go to grad school.

Posted by: Colorado Alex In Exile at May 22, 2017 11:47 PM (Tnhbr)

528
There is nothing like that sound right after the engine driving your aircraft quits running. No sir. Focuses you in an entirely new way.

Posted by: Eromero at May 22, 2017 10:15 PM (zLDYs)

Had that happen to me once, as a passenger in a Cessna 185 Skywagon. Canoe lashed to the float, we took off from Back Bay at Yellowknife, NWT, with the intent of flying me out to some nameless lake to try to find some mineral showings from an old prospector's field notes. My work partner was stuck in town for some reason, so it was just me and the pilot.

Pilot said to me, "We just put a rebuilt engine in this plane, so it's good to go." Taxi and takeoff was normal, but when he throttled back after the climb out, the engine began missing badly, and streams of fuel vapor came rushing past the windscreen.

We had enough altitude, so pilot (who was cool as a cucumber) made a 180, and then a dead-stick landing about 2 miles up the bay from the float base. We sat on the dead-calm water, with the doors open, and let the faint breeze push us down the lake towards the dock. Meanwhile, they sent a boat out to tow us back to the dock. Mechanic met us at the dock, tightened the flare nuts on the fuel injectors, and off we went again, problem fixed.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at May 22, 2017 11:47 PM (0deF2)

529
My youngest sister's first car was a 1989 Toyota Celica. It was nice, but literally almost felt like driving a toy car.--hi qdpsteve!

I've had two Camry's (still have the old one) and a Rav 4. Are they the most stylish? Well, they're not a Jaguar.

But.. they get me from point A to B, and the Rav 4 was much nicer than the Honda I looked at. And don't even ask about the Nissan SUV...

I admit I'd like to own at least one Toyota before I kick off. They all seem nice.

Posted by: qdpsteve at May 22, 2017 11:48 PM (eMKNe)

536
I don't mind the Veloster's looks, though it's oddball enough that it looks better in metallic tangerine than black or white.

It even has a manual transmission. Not fond of FWD and the 1.6L 201hp turbo is kind of flogged to within a millimeter of its life (I haven't found the torque curve but I'd bet it's a little peaky and jaggy).

And the "sporty" model isn't the most expensive and weighed down with every gadget, which is encouraging.
Posted by: Merovign, Dark Lord of the Sith at May

the metallic tangerine is not my speed but it looks fun. the specs do look like they have squeezed every ounce from the engine in the turbo version. but he could hook it up to some nitrous.

538I see seemingly reasonable people wishing death on others and laughing at escalating suicide and addiction rates of the white working class. I see liberal think pieces written in opposition to expressing empathy or civility in interactions with those with whom we disagree.

This is why culture matters. If you don't have a shared culture, a shared identity, it becomes real easy to dehumanize your opponents.

Posted by: Colorado Alex In Exile at May 22, 2017 11:48 PM (Tnhbr)

539
504. My angel has one of those. It's her daily driver - and yeah, a rocket on rails.

545
I have been told that Audi station wagons are made by Subaru. No idea if that is true, but they look almost identical.
Posted by: Kindltot at May

had not heard that. interesting.

Posted by: yankeefifth at May 22, 2017 11:50 PM (cPsPa)

546
490 A doctor I worked with bought a Audi A6 and he said
it was the worst car he ever owned. Said he couldn't keep it out of the
repair shop.

Posted by: I'm Tucker Carlson and I will destroy you at May 22, 2017 11:36 PM (0/1SX)
Sounds like major competition for Jaguar.
Posted by: Peaches at May 22, 2017 11:38 PM (EgOr3)

I visited a client once who had two new Jags in the driveway.
When I commented on how pretty they were, he said "yeah, you have to be able to afford two. Because one will always be in the shop."

Posted by: Fried Baloney Sandwich at May 22, 2017 11:50 PM (EfigE)

547
our bull dyke lesbian neighbors have a matched set. that is the same logic for jaguars and maseratis. it is cute as hell so long as you do not think about what you have done.
Posted by: yankeefifth at May 22, 2017 11:45 PM (cPsPa)

I wouldn't buy a Jag, I don't like them. I don't know anything about Maserati so I can't answer that.

Are mini coopers lesbian cars?

I still think they're cute. I don't want one but I like driving my niece's. I like driving VWs too.

I like pretty shoes I don't need as well. Girl logic.

Posted by: CaliGirl at May 22, 2017 11:50 PM (Ri/rl)

548
Peaches, I'm living out in Santa Paula nowadays while I go to grad school.

Posted by: Colorado Alex In Exile at May 22, 2017 11:47 PM (Tnhbr) Oh, wow, Alex! I love Santa Paula . . . at least I did last time I was there (a really long time ago), used to fly in there in a little Cessna and have lunch. Beats the living snot out of most of the rest of the state.

Posted by: Peaches at May 22, 2017 11:51 PM (EgOr3)

549
The Fiat 500 looks like it would be fun to drive... Gotta apply the "fat chick rule" there, though!
Posted by: Zettai Ryoiki at May

Posted by: shibumi at May 22, 2017 11:50 PM (BPeNq) Not to mention the googly-eyes. {shivers}

Posted by: Peaches at May 22, 2017 11:53 PM (EgOr3)

560
I've had two Camry's (still have the old one) and a Rav 4. Are they the most stylish? Well, they're not a Jaguar.

But.. they get me from point A to B, and the Rav 4 was much nicer than the Honda I looked at. And don't even ask about the Nissan SUV...
Posted by: shibumi at May 22, 2017 11:47 PM (BPeNq)

My mother had a Camry for years. Really good car. She just bought a Lexus. She likes the new car.

Posted by: CaliGirl at May 22, 2017 11:53 PM (Ri/rl)

561Oh, wow, Alex! I love Santa Paula . . . at least I did last time I was there (a really long time ago), used to fly in there in a little Cessna and have lunch. Beats the living snot out of most of the rest of the state.
Posted by: Peaches at May 22, 2017 11:51 PM (EgOr3)

Heh, my mom loved the area after visiting this weekend. She spent the weekend talking about how beautiful it was, how much she loved some of the old houses in town, etc.

I actually live outside of town in a guest house on an avocado farm.

Posted by: Colorado Alex In Exile at May 22, 2017 11:53 PM (Tnhbr)

562
One of my neighbors has 2 mini coopers. One of these winters in Michigan that guy is going to be squashed like a bug by an SUV.
Posted by: nerdygirl at May

567
Here's what the April 2017 Consumer Reports has to say about the Veloster. It's considered one of their 'recommended' cars.

"The sporty Veloster hatchback has three doors, with the right side rear door providing access to the tight rear seat. Based on the small Accent, the Veloster's 138-hp, 1.6-liter four-cylinder delivers adequate power, and the precise six-speed manual has low-effort throws. A dual-clutch, six-speed automated manual is optional. We got 31 mpg overall from a version with the manual transmission. Moving up to the Turbo trim gets you a strong 201-hp turbocharged four-cylinder and an available seven-speed automated manual transmission. Handling is responsive and secure. Though the ride is quite stiff, it isn't punishing. Rear visibility through the split back window is decent at best."

Posted by: qdpsteve at May 22, 2017 11:55 PM (eMKNe)

568
>>>Velobster sounds like a good name for a car.Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at May 22, 2017 11:43 PM (IqV8l)<<<

Best car I've ever had.

Posted by: Dr. Zoidberg at May 22, 2017 11:56 PM (nHbAq)

569
My mother had a Camry for years. Really good car. She just bought a Lexus. She likes the new car.--

There's no reason for me to move away from Toyota. I'm now on my third, and I'm really happy. Not a lot of repairs, reliable, safe and I can haul sh*t around if needed.

Plus.. "screw you UAW."

Posted by: shibumi at May 22, 2017 11:56 PM (BPeNq)

570
Me: That your Maserati?
Friend: Yep.
Me: I'd heard they have a reputation for being hangar queens.
Friend: I'm a mechanical engineer. I like 'em like that.

Posted by: Anachronda at May

heh. should have picked up a biturbo, leakiest car ever.

Posted by: yankeefifth at May 22, 2017 11:56 PM (cPsPa)

571
One of my neighbors has 2 mini coopers. One of these winters in Michigan that guy is going to be squashed like a bug by an out of control 4 wheel drive SUV sliding down the snow covered roadway at a high closing velocity.

Think Russian Dash Cam compilation material.

Posted by: Filleus T. Fantum at May 22, 2017 11:56 PM (7oN1i)

572
Fuck Allah and that POs Mohammed, shit be upon his head. Let's burn the Koran too.

574
Ed Driscoll: "When Booth shot Lincoln, everybody knew that Booth was a southern partisan, and they could easily understand why he wanted to kill Lincoln," Piereson says. "Northerners blamed the south for this, and you assimilate it into the moral framework of the Civil War."

In contrast, "Liberals had great difficulty assimilating this idea that a communist would kill Kennedy. It made sense to them that an anti-civil rights person might do it, or an anti-communist might do it, but not a communist."

But that's exactly who Oswald was, having defected to the Soviet Union in 1959 and then spending two and a half years there, and attempting to denounce his American citizenship along the way. Piereson says that his April 1963 attempt to kill Edwin Walker, former army general, anti-civil rights leader, and head of the John Birch Society in Texas says much about Oswald as well. In addition to his anti-civil rights action, Walker also gave frequent speeches calling for the overthrow of Castro. Piereson believes that Oswald's attempt to kill Walker sheds light on why he killed Kennedy: his policies towards Cuba and his leading the nation's other Cold War actions of the time.

"However, that is not how the Kennedy assassination was interpreted," Piereson says, with enormous understatement. Instead, a sense of collective guilt is imposed on the nation through its liberal elites and media. "And this is really the first time that you get on the liberal-left this idea that America is guilty. But this however now becomes a metaphor for the left for everything that happens moving on in the 1960s."

"So how do you get, really, from this place in 1963, where Kennedy is shot by a communist, to '68 where communists like Castro are heroes to the left?"

Piereson believes this could have only happened due to the cultural disorientation caused by the airbrushing of Kennedy's assassination and the attempt to "view it as a civil rights event, instead of a Cold War event."

The conspiracy theories were also fueled by propaganda generated by the Soviet Union and Cuba, Piereson adds. The Soviet Union itself "was very quickly out of the box on November 23, 1963. TASS claimed that Oswald was being setup; and that the real assassins were Klansmen, rightists and 'Birchists' as they called them. They all claimed that it was a right wing conspiracy which brought Kennedy down. And some of them said that Barry Goldwater was responsible.".......

586 Watching Kennedy on FBN, she did a bit about a story from Pippa's wedding. With her, it's hard to tell what's she's making up and what really happened, but this did.

At Pippa's wedding, the best man got up there and made one rude, crude, and lewd speech. He got in a reference to Pippa's butt, then did a bit about the groom's loyal companion, best friend, etc. But enough about his dog, let's talk about his bride.....

Then he did this gem: They're supposed to go to [whereever] on their honeymoon, but he told he was going to Bangor for two weeks. Get it, "bang 'er"?

587
Shep Smith can tell you about the plane crash with a twinkle in his eye. Something to do with the lighting.

Posted by: Filleus T. Fantum at May 23, 2017 12:00 AM (7oN1i)

588
Here's what the April 2017 Consumer Reports has to say about the Veloster. It's considered one of their 'recommended' cars.

"The sporty Veloster hatchback has three doors, with the right side rear door providing access to the tight rear seat. Based on the small Accent, the Veloster's 138-hp, 1.6-liter four-cylinder delivers adequate power, and the precise six-speed manual has low-effort throws. A dual-clutch, six-speed automated manual is optional. We got 31 mpg overall from a version with the manual transmission. Moving up to the Turbo trim gets you a strong 201-hp turbocharged four-cylinder and an available seven-speed automated manual transmission. Handling is responsive and secure. Though the ride is quite stiff, it isn't punishing. Rear visibility through the split back window is decent at best."
Posted by: qdpsteve at May

manuals are always more fin to drive.

Posted by: yankeefifth at May 23, 2017 12:00 AM (cPsPa)

589
I have a friend with an Audi. He got a flat, took it to the dealer. Dealer made him replace all four tires. All 4 tires.--

Yeah.

Don't. Go. To. The. Dealership.

Posted by: shibumi at May 23, 2017 12:00 AM (BPeNq)

590
There's no reason for me to move away from Toyota. I'm now on my third, and I'm really happy. Not a lot of repairs, reliable, safe and I can haul sh*t around if needed.

592Thanks for the prayers, people. There doesn't seem to be too much I can do, other than give my dad a break every now and then. I'm trying to figure out the easiest way to wash my mother's hair tomorrow. She just doesn't care.
Posted by: biancaneve

There is some non-rinse shampoo for invalids. You can massage it into their hair, but you don't have to rinse it out. At some pharmacies there are really large wipes that can be used if you can't get her to shower.

One of the advantages of Hospice is they will help with cleanliness. Also, there are elder services that you can pay to come in. They charge about $20 an hour in my area. You can talk to them about what kind of help you need.

Posted by: nerdygirl at May 23, 2017 12:02 AM (+lVUW)

593
Also... Ariana Grande has suspended tour.
***
It would be rather interesting to get some brave interviewer to ask her if her terror of the likes of Mike Pence might not seem a bit idiotic now.

Whether Mike hates your brother or not (he doesn't), he isn't going to go murder a bunch of your concert goers in front of you is he tartlet?

597
578 I have a friend with an Audi.
He got a flat, took it to the dealer.
Dealer made him replace all four tires.
All 4 tires.
Posted by: navybrat at May 22, 2017 11:59 PM (w7KSn)

Why? Are you serious? How can the dealer make him, void the warranty?

Posted by: CaliGirl at May 23, 2017 12:04 AM (Ri/rl)

598
20 years ago, I stopped by a friend/employee''s house to have a beer after work.
There was a garage out back - what any of us would call a one car garage. He had 5 or 6 of those old Mini Coopera stacked in it.
The tiny Austin/Morris ones.
How did you get them all in here??

606
If I was A) Famous and B) Hated, I would go to car shows and get interviewed by *everyone* saying how much I liked *every* car, just to cause absolute head-exploding chaos among people whose ego is tied to what *other people* think of their cars.

607This is why culture matters. If you don't have a shared culture, a shared identity, it becomes real easy to dehumanize your opponents.
***
This is true, but it goes a bit further.

The left believes reality is malleable. Good thoughts produce good outcomes, bad thoughts produce bad outcomes.

So why did Obamacare fail? Or the Great Society? Or any leftwing failure you can remember? Because too many people thought it would fail. If they just thought good thoughts it would have worked.

From the leftwing perspective then, by merely existing, conservatives are stopping utopia from coming to be. How then do you solve that problem? The answer isn't debate hell more people might hear conservative thoughts and make things even worse! The only answer is to remove the bad thinkers...by whatever means necessary.

Posted by: 18-1 at May 23, 2017 12:08 AM (aZq03)

608
It is going to be interesting to see what effect Trump's weapons sale to the Saudis will have on the Middle East.

We should sell some advanced weapons systems to the Japanese and South Koreans while we're in the business of weapons trafficking. For world peace and the children, of course.

Posted by: Filleus T. Fantum at May 23, 2017 12:09 AM (7oN1i)

609Just think if the US had a shrink ray and used it on the Middle East...
Posted by: Anna Puma at May 23, 2017 12:06 AM

Can do Kandor.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at May 23, 2017 12:09 AM (IqV8l)

610
Howdy, hugo and Peaches! No nap, just obligations and considerations.

612
I have a friend with an Audi.
He got a flat, took it to the dealer.
Dealer made him replace all four tires.
All 4 tires.
Posted by: navybrat at May

well, more likely it was not simply a flat but one of the tires was not repairable, gash in the sidewall.

Cars with awd have to have tires with similar diameters. Audis are among the worst for tight tolerances. If you have a fair amount of wear on your tires and try to put one new tire on with three worn tires it is going to put a lot of stress on your differential and repairing or replacing that is going to be a lot more expensive than the tires.

622and the precise six-speed manual has low-effort throws. A dual-clutch, six-speed automated manual is optional. We got 31 mpg overall from a version with the manual transmission. Moving up to the Turbo trim gets you a strong 201-hp turbocharged four-cylinder and an available seven-speed automated manual transmission.

I haven't had a stick in a long time but when in the hell did they start bringing out six and seven speeds?

Is this going to be like bicycles? When I was a kid you had your basic three speed and ten-speed ... and then, at some point, they started having 15 and 21 and whatever speeds (as if anyone would actually need something like that).

623
It is going to be interesting to see what effect Trump's weapons sale to the Saudis will have on the Middle East.
***
Over the last 8 years the Middle East has become more and more a conflict between Iran and the Sunni Gulf States.

Obama inflamed things by giving Iran billions of dollars and carte blanche to do what they wanted while at the same time creating ISIS.

We've seen under Obama's watch that the Sunni states have been supportive of ISIS (though not publicly) as a way to push back on Iran, or at least keep them busy.

Selling weapons to the Gulf States, and withdrawing our support for Iran might work, if at the same time Trump is privately demanding an end of support for ISIS.

625
Most fun in a car? Pre 9/11 2001 driving a Jag XJ6 on the A1101 in Cambridgeshire, England. Smoothest ride I ever had.

And yes, I had the most unusual breakdowns with the Jag. On Christmas Eve, I was doing 60+ on the motorway when I had an electrical short...all systems failed, power brakes, power steering, lights. There wasn't much traffic so I was able to pull over (to the left of course).

Posted by: Horatio Santos at May 23, 2017 12:13 AM (woKq6)

626
The AWD/Tire replacement thing is because *some* AWD systems need for all the tires to have the same outside diameter.

Far and away the easiest way to do that is replace all four at once, but it's not the only way.

Not all systems require this, sometimes a manufacturer (Volvo) will have both kinds.

Unless you get a *lot* of flats, this usually isn't that often, but it's a consideration when you buy a car (or tow one).

Often this is just one of many factors in expenses and reliability in a car, and they chose the system for reasons (weight, patents, torque rating) unrelated to this limitation.

And if they strain really hard they can even levitate the Pentagon ...

Posted by: ThePrimordialOrderedPair at May 23, 2017 12:14 AM (zc3Db)

631
We should sell some advanced weapons systems to the Japanese and South Koreans while we're in the business of weapons trafficking.
***
I'm pretty sure the Kurds could use some new weapons...you know for fighting ISIS, and totally not ISIS's supporters in Ankara. Definitely not the latter. Honest.

Posted by: 18-1 at May 23, 2017 12:14 AM (aZq03)

632
And he did it, and so it was done.
The entire concept was foreign to me, but, hey, I drive a Ford. LOL!
Posted by: navybrat at May

It is any car with awd. Audis have to have their tires within something like 4/32 of each other. Ford's are something like 8/32nds.

That is always ugly the first time it happens. you could buy one new tire and have it shaved down but it is hard to find someone to shave tires anymore.

634
"Faced with problems and disappointments, many people will try to escape from their responsibility: escape in selfishness, escape in sexual pleasure, escape in drugs, escape in violence, escape in indifference and cynical attitudes. But today, I propose to you the option of love, which is the opposite of escape."

655
shep smith declared earlier that the nails in the bomb had melted from the heat of the explosion.

Posted by: yankeefifth at May 23, 2017 12:23 AM (cPsPa)

656
Apparently you're only a REAL MAN to the Horde if you're still driving a 1957 pink Cadillac. ;-)

Posted by: qdpsteve at May 22, 2017 11:17 PM (eMKNe)

Uh, not pink. I had a '56 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special once. It was a cool car, and got amazingly good fuel mileage. It was dark, dark, blue (like the Caddies in the first Godfather movie), and I miss it badly.

660
I haven't had a stick in a long time but when in the hell did they start bringing out six and seven speeds?

Is this going to be like bicycles? When I was a kid you had your basic three speed and ten-speed ... and then, at some point, they started having 15 and 21 and whatever speeds (as if anyone would actually need something like that).

677
662 Insomnia is no fun.
___
I might be able to help you, your last president gave me a "gift" that I don't really...need. Perhaps in your current situation you could find it useful?
Posted by: The Queen finally realizing a use for that ipod at May 23, 2017 12:26 AM (aZq03)

Well, since I'm up, I could list it on eBay.

Posted by: ALH at May 23, 2017 12:31 AM (Iu5oK)

678
my favorite car, from a handling perspective is Audi, the Quattro is fantastic, but you are right, money pits.

Posted by: yankeefifth at May 22, 2017 11:25 PM (cPsPa)

I briefly owned an Audi Fox station wagon, circa 1976. Got it from an ex-roommate who was a huge guy, ran about 300 pounds, and no fat on him at all. Looked like Don Leo Jonathan, he did. The springs on the poor car were all sagged, can't imagine why. I fixed it up, and drove it for a month or two, and traded it off to a pair of lesbian women, who just loved the hell out of it.

I will say, it put a big grin on my face when I pitched it into a corner. A driver's car, to be sure. As long as you don't mind electrical glitches and door handles falling off.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at May 23, 2017 12:32 AM (0deF2)

679
Was at a college football tailgate a few years back when an absolute beauty (soph, maybe afteshman) traipsed by. My friend next to me just starts belting out the lyrics to "young girl". Hilarity ensued. Probably top ten funniest moments of my life... to date.

683
I didn't have a chance to 2cents the SV thread earlier, so I thought I would do it here.

But thanks to my fat fingers and inattentiveness my "brilliant" and lengthy commentary has disappeared. Probably for the best. Here's another most likely lengthy.

I worked in SV throughout the 80s. I was in a position to meet many of the established and new entrepreneurs and the founders of the service and support companies that grew up with them like the Wilson Sonsinis, and Silicon Valleys etc. My interaction was with the "community" and not limited to the confines of one company or culture. It was an exciting time.

Anyway, one thing that has always stuck with me. I met with Steve Jobs a short time before Apple went public. We discussed a possible lobbying organization for entrepreneurs (an idea before it's time) and Steve very dismissively said -- He was busy building a company. He could care less about the government. What did the government have to do with it anyway.

It was a time that the government and the entrepreneur largely saw themselves as separate. Of course, there were associations like AEA etc. but not what is today.

When I look at the entangled sick relationship between SV and WDC today those words are always there. Especially when I look at the horrid horrid Zuckerberg thing who rides on the wings of Soros.

I have had the good fortune to work with powerful and good people in WDC and powerful and good people in SV. And I have seen the powerful, monied and not so good along the way. When you peak with money you want power. When you peak with power you want money. Always has been that way it seems.

I wouldn't give you two cents for the millenial Zuckerberg/Soros SV. It is as much a swamp as WDC. Their leftist, liberal thinking is not thinking at all. I don't think it is a preference for socialism over capitalism. It is knee jerk to people like Soros and the globalists. Zuckerberg and the zuckerbergers are sheeples, water carriers, and providers of funds.

This is not to discount the good and talented people. But the trend is not optimistic.

693
The MiniCoopers are okay, but I admit I think of them as just a little too small.

Posted by: qdpsteve at May 22, 2017 11:36 PM (eMKNe)

Get a real Mini Cooper, the one made by British Leyland Motor Company, with no BMW parts in it. Back in the day, 1967, they would get the drop on a Z-28 Camaro in the stoplight drags. Of course, once the Camaro hooked up, it would blow the doors off the poor little Mini, but it sure as hell couldn't corner with one.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at May 23, 2017 12:40 AM (0deF2)

694
Zettai Ryoiki #686: They drive on the left in Japan, too, mindful!

ALH #687: Hi Honey, How was Your Day?

No, no, it's far too late for me to fall for your seductive ploys now. I know when I've been snubbed.

695They're more fun to drive (not a 23 speed, of course, but your run of the mill 4 or 5 speed) and friends are far less likely to ask to borrow it.
Posted by: ThePrimordialOrderedPair at May 23, 2017 12:38 AM (zc3Db)

Not more fun to drive in stop and go traffic for an hour. Anywhere else, sure.

Posted by: Aetius451AD's work phone at May 23, 2017 12:40 AM (W0ZYU)

696
Some call the stick shift a theft deterrent because it's almost obsolescent. I know when I had my car with the stick I would have to be sure the guy at the oil change place knew how to drive it. Clutches are expensive.

Eh. I've driven a stick shift many, many hours in city traffic. The shifting was never a hassle there. Just the waiting, itself, was the issue for me. Sometimes traffic was so bad you couldn't get out of first gear, anyway

Posted by: ThePrimordialOrderedPair at May 23, 2017 12:44 AM (zc3Db)

702
699 Shep Smith is gayer than Richard Simmons in a pink leotard riding on the Astroglide float at a gay pride parade in San Francrisco...
Posted by: Zettai Ryoiki at May 23, 2017 12:43 AM (e9G8E)

706
I think that movie list, focused on the year you were born, is taking the wrong approach. It should be the year you first become self aware enough to understand movies. Somewhere around 6-7-8 or so.

So what was the first movie you remember as a kid, one that your parents took you to see?

"Gone with the wind." I didn't get much out of it except the burning of the house, still remember that.

"The Wizard of Oz" - hated it. Scary movie, and I've never liked scary movies. The flying monkeys were going to get Dorthy. Couldn't watch.

708
Back in the early 80s I owned a '74 BMW 2002 tii. What a fun car that was. Boxy looking and all windows. Wish I still owned it.

Posted by: I'm Tucker Carlson and I will destroy you at May 22, 2017 11:41 PM (0/1SX)

My longtime friend and landlord owned one of those, and I worked on it for him, and drove it once or twice. That was the car that gave BMW its entree to the North American marketplace. It was affordable, and every enthusiast liked it.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at May 23, 2017 12:45 AM (0deF2)

709
The clerk in the office called in sick today with pink Eye. She takes care of her grandchirrens.

Posted by: ALH at May 23, 2017 12:45 AM (Iu5oK)

710
Aw, mannn, not only is the Horde the best collective hive-mind since the USA founders, it's also the greatest bunch of armchair philosophers and good spirits on the Internetz.

712
Back in the early 80s I owned a '74 BMW 2002 tii. What a fun car that was. Boxy looking and all windows. Wish I still owned it.

Posted by: I'm Tucker Carlson and I will destroy you at May 22, 2017 11:41 PM (0/1SX)

My longtime friend and landlord owned one of those, and I worked on it for him, and drove it once or twice. That was the car that gave BMW its entree to the North American marketplace. It was affordable, and every enthusiast liked it.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at May

755
Cars with awd have to have tires with similar diameters. Audis are among the worst for tight tolerances. If you have a fair amount of wear on your tires and try to put one new tire on with three worn tires it is going to put a lot of stress on your differential and repairing or replacing that is going to be a lot more expensive than the tires.

he would be stupid not to do it.

Posted by: yankeefifth at May 23, 2017 12:09 AM (cPsPa)

Concur. If you want the advantages of AWD, then you have to take the disadvantages, too.

775Horrid. Used to be a sign of respect in Italy when you went into a church you never did so with bare shoulders. But hey, Mooch.

Honestly that article is worse than anything a US reporter has written in terms of adoration. And she looked just like Mooch -- a possible good idea gone bad.
Posted by: gracepc at May 23, 2017 01:10 AM (OU4q6)

I am sure Michelle will follow it up by walking up the Scala Sancta as well.

Posted by: Aetius451AD's work phone at May 23, 2017 01:13 AM (W0ZYU)

776
*So the infamous so-called Memorial Day blogging, is this an all-day thing, or relegated to the ONT? Is it Memorial Day Eve, ie the Sunday night ONT? Does it begin at midnight?

Another piece of Jimmy Stewart trivia, this one about his Westerns. In every Western, he always rode the same horse. The horse's real name was Pie, and if you watch his Westerns closely, you'll see the same white marking on the muzzle of his horse. I heard him talk about Pie on Johnny Carson. Supposedly, he was the only one who rode Pie, even though he didn't own him.

787
I spent the entire afternoon doing some maintenance on my '08 Suburban. Took all four of the alloy wheels off, and using an abrasive disc mounted in an electric drill, cleaned the mounting surface of each wheel, and of the brake rotor where it seats. Because I had a wheel come loose a while ago, and apparently alloy wheels get a buildup of corrosion on the seating surface, and that buildup then crumbles, and makes the lugs come loose. According to my local tire guy, who is a reliable source.

So I did that, and remounted the wheels, and torqued the lug nuts to 110 foot-pounds. Also lubed the front end while the wheels were off, because I could. Then I got my rug shampooer out, and cleaned the front seats, and rubber floor mats, which were thickly caked with mud from the last wellsite in November. Got enough dog hair off the passenger seat to knit another dog. It isn't "eat off it" clean, but a vast improvement. Then took it to the car wash, and hosed it off. Looks pretty good for a nine year old ex-cop truck.

Complaining that I had to do it; and bragging that I successfully did it? Yes, I guess.

It was a nice day, and I drank two beers while performing that onerous task.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at May

heh. was going to say I am impressed that you could and did do all that and glad that it was not me.

Posted by: yankeefifth at May 23, 2017 01:27 AM (cPsPa)

802
Enough? I always like to be told when there's been enough of me.It keeps me humble. A dose of humility is good for the soul. A real impact on the soul, and all that.---well, anything more than a mouthful is a waste...

805Someone said it was about butt stuff. I dunno.
Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at May

well the main problem was that someone let a thread run for days and thousands of comments and the thread achieved something along the lines of critical mass or sentience or some combination thereof, then it got ugly or fun.

811
well the main problem was that someone let a thread
run for days and thousands of comments and the thread achieved something
along the lines of critical mass or sentience or some combination
thereof, then it got ugly or fun.

821
heh. was going to say I am impressed that you could and did do all that and glad that it was not me.

Posted by: yankeefifth at May 23, 2017 01:27 AM (cPsPa)

Well, having a wheel come loose is scary stuff. Lost one (from this same set) once. No wreck resulted, but I came close to soiling a set of tighty-whities. And when I transferred this set of wheels to the '08, I had one come loose a few months ago. Had to stop, and lacking the right lug wrench, was trying to tighten them with Vise Grips when another guy driving a GM pickup came by and let me use his wheel wrench.

You can bet I will be checking the torque on wheel bolts very carefully here on in.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at May 23, 2017 01:35 AM (0deF2)

822
Oh, I do wear out my welcome. Ask - well, anybody who's been worn out.
Posted by: Miley, the Duchess at May

824
Hey horde, I just had an infuriating encounter with Sony and want to twitter blast them into oblivion, but... uh I have no twitter presence, do not understand twitter, and am basically screaming into the abyss. Any help?

Admittedly all i know about you is some percentage of what you have told us about yourself, but i don't see you as the type to wear out a welcome.

Posted by: tbodie at May 23, 2017 01:37 AM (r1DzX)

828Well, having a wheel come loose is scary stuff. Lost one (from this same set) once. No wreck resulted, but I came close to soiling a set of tighty-whities. And when I transferred this set of wheels to the '08, I had one come loose a few months ago. Had to stop, and lacking the right lug wrench, was trying to tighten them with Vise Grips when another guy driving a GM pickup came by and let me use his wheel wrench.

You can bet I will be checking the torque on wheel bolts very carefully here on in.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at May

With those two ....I just can't. And they probably will never ever go away. They have no real home or attachments or friends apparently. I suppose they will just wander the world, popping in here and there, as "guests of".

848
AOP, a real Mini is one of my dream cars. Another is a bug-eye Sprite.

My first car (thank, Dad) was a '73 Honda AN600 sedan. Kinda a Japanese Mini. Loads of fun, but lacking in oomph.

Posted by: Average Guy at May 23, 2017 01:37 AM (LMcFk)

I never owned a real Mini, but I did have its big brother, an Austin 1100. A touch bigger, with Pinin Farina styling, and "hydrolastic" suspension instead of rubber cones. Hydrolastic linked the front and rear "springs", really they were airbags, together in such a way that pitching moments caused by road irregularities were much reduced. A little econobox with a Cadillac-like ride, and it could corner with the best. City traffic, 30 MPH speed limit, I simply didn't have to brake for corners; it went around them like it was on rails. It was like being in a grown-up slot car.

Engine and transmission were pure Mini, except the engine had a few more cubes displacement. Transmission lived in the oil sump of the engine, and was lubed by engine oil. Quite a marvel of packaging, viewed from a 1960's perspective.

Posted by: thathalfrican - back at it at May 23, 2017 02:00 AM (/cEXt)

875
y'all are swapping digits on the ont? what the hell, I hardly even get a good night. everyone is calling and making plans and probably sexting and I barely ever even get a good night.

well I never.

Posted by: yankeefifth at May 23, 2017 02:02 AM (cPsPa)

876
Y5. Some days you're statue and other days you're the pigeon. Tonight you may be the statue

Posted by: thathalfrican - back at it at May 23, 2017 02:03 AM (/cEXt)

877
driving a suburban on three wheels was not enough of a white knuckle experience for you? you want to get blown off the road by every car that passes you?

Posted by: yankeefifth at May 23, 2017 01:57 AM (cPsPa)

That 1100 clung to the road like it was painted on it. I got it from a friend who wrapped it around a tree in Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC, by driving it insanely fast, and skidding on wet leaves. I paid a whole hundred dollars for it, straightened it out, and put all new bearings in the transmission. That sucker was amazing to drive; front wheel drive, in an era when front wheel drive was very exotic, and that hydrolastic suspension really helped it cling to the road.

879
That 1100 clung to the road like it was painted on it. I got it from a friend who wrapped it around a tree in Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC, by driving it insanely fast, and skidding on wet leaves. I paid a whole hundred dollars for it, straightened it out, and put all new bearings in the transmission. That sucker was amazing to drive; front wheel drive, in an era when front wheel drive was very exotic, and that hydrolastic suspension really helped it cling to the road.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at May

BTW, in that article it said they arrived via private jet, "accompanied by 6 fighter jets and a 13 car motorcade (probably Michelle's luggage of ripped jeans and off the shoulder tops)" Curious about who provides (pays for) the fighter jets, and the motorcade.

My dad had an Austin America, which, I believe, is basically an Austin 1100. I was too young to know or care about the technical details. I thought the day-glo orange plastic Donald Duck he mounted as a hood ornament was the coolest thing in the world, though.

My only foray into British car ownership, thus far, was a '73 MG BGT. Quite the fun car, and I was able to keep it running, most of the time. The demands of a growing family, alas, required more practical transportation...

Still wouldn't mind a Mini or Bug-eye. Unfortunately sometime in the early 90's, IIRC a lot of the British cars got bought up by Brits and shipped back across the pond, causing prices to skyrocket.

If you haven't already, check out the Youtube series "The Binky Project" Two Brits doing unspeakable things to a Mini (swapping in engine and running gear from a Celica GT), but doing them with impeccable craftsmanship and ingenuity.

Posted by: Average Guy at May 23, 2017 02:38 AM (LMcFk)

896
Heh, AOP already mentioned the Austin America, and then went off to bed, all while I was writiing my post. Things move fast in the ONT, even ~900 posts in.

Posted by: Average Guy at May 23, 2017 02:42 AM (LMcFk)

897
OK, needing to take a break from today's depressing news of relentless Islamic terrorism, I sat down to watch a movie this evening, and chose one from the pile of DVDs -- my goal being to find some film that was as far away from today's news as possible.

The very first scene of this "film" has Hanks on a plane to Saudi Arabia completely surrounded by Arabs chanting Muslim prayers. And then he lands -- and the entire film takes place in Saudi Arabia, and Tom Hanks is the only character who ISN'T Muslim!

The whole fuckin' movie was Muslim Muslim Muslim Muslim Muslim, and it had only the barest hints of humor in it.

Then I read the spoilers online halfway through and learned that Tom Hanks, at the end of the film, MOVES to Saudi Arabia permanently and never returns to America!

And the final nail in the coffin: It was based on a book by Dave Eggers, Emperor of Pretentious Assholes.

Basically, I chose the worst possible film for tonight.

Advice: Never ever watch a 2016 film called "A Hologram for the King." Horrific.

Luckily, it was a box-office disaster, I was happy to later learn. Good.

898
Also, that "moon on the water" photo at the top is all kinds of wrong. The moon in just coming out of a lunar eclipse, but the edge that is brightening is pointing down toward the horizon, at night -- nuh uh. Also, at the horizon like that, there is always atmospheric distortion, so it wouldn't look perfectly round. In other words: Photoshop.

After watching the entire clip instead of the 12-second clip the lying MFM is using, it's clear that there was some momentary confusion over the boarding protocol-Melania thought she was riding in one of the other two copters, and she and PDT did that "see you later" low-five thing. It's actually kind of cute. Then a few moments later one of the men guides Melania back with PDT's group because she was in fact riding in the same copter.

No scandal, just Fake News.

Posted by: WhatWhatWhat? at May 23, 2017 04:34 AM (ul9CR)

909
Been watching ( or mostly hearing) BBC news, there was a long interview with a woman eyewitness. Bomb was after concert was over and outside seating area.Reports are a suicide bomber but no public ID yet but it seems police know who he was.

913
Looking at the cause of death at the top, I'd expect in some of our big cities murder ranks higher. Since in a city like Chicago, there is little chance that you will ever be caught killing someone. (about 12%)

Posted by: Colin at May 23, 2017 05:53 AM (ALbVH)

914
"Since in a city like Chicago, there is little chance that you will ever be caught killing someone. (about 12%) "

If you were looking at the clearance rate from Hey Jackass that includes Police Involved shootings and other justifiable homicides. The clearance rate for murder alone is a smaller percentage.

Posted by: Tim in Illinois at May 23, 2017 05:57 AM (d76uN)

915Word is Trump is about to propose massive federal budget cuts to the tune of 2 and half trillion dollars.

Probably twice as much as he needs to cut. Interesting negotiating position. Ask for more, 'settle' for exactly what you need.

In addition, the same Internet connection was used to install an early version of WannaCry on two computers and to communicate with a tool that destroyed files at Sony Pictures Entertainment. The U.S. government and private companies have accused North Korea in the 2014 Sony attack.

Posted by: E Depluribus Unum at May 23, 2017 06:02 AM (HTdUD)

918
If you were looking at the clearance rate from Hey
Jackass that includes Police Involved shootings and other justifiable
homicides. The clearance rate for murder alone is a smaller percentage.

Posted by: Tim in Illinois at May 23, 2017 05:57 AM (d76uN)

Yeah, I would have guessed that is true. I wonder what the real percentages of someone getting caught is. Unless you shot someone in front of the police, your free and clear. In my area they seem to have very few unsolved murders, but I live in a small town, and not many shootings to investigate anyway.

Posted by: Colin at May 23, 2017 06:04 AM (ALbVH)

919
"Western democracies are in the process of committing suicide and nothing is going to deter them from that mission" Posted by: Kreplach

It is murder.

Using the Marxist critical theory weapon, aka PC Religion that breaks Western Civ in pieces. The globalists that rule US force their religion into schools and all the institutions. They have the deep state government and MSM coordinating in the attack, with Democrats and other useful idiots all accomplices.

For this years total subtract 7 then do the percentage. There is a pie chart that goes along with the clearance rate.

So far 4 Police involved and 3 self defense. Remember Hey Jackass also includes suspect charged in the initial clearance rate. They don't track, to my knowledge, those that actually get convicted in those murders.

The best guess I could muster comes from a Friend who retired from the Illinois State Police a couple of years ago. He worked in the Chicago area.

His thoughts that were that less than 5 percent of all murders were honestly cleared. So the chance of getting caught is so small as to be worth the risk.

926
"hand slap".."losers" comment...making the rounds on the social media circuit...

Posted by: KWDreaming at May 23, 2017 06:31 AM (lLOfk)

927
From Drudge: Maxine has her mic cut off during a speech about guess what? (hint, 45) I noticed that the audience was mostly white. 300 adoring fans of Maxine, what a room full of idiots. Maxine is basking in the attention that the MSM is showering her with...They love to hear her talk about impeachment.

Great to hear from you! Every time I look at the Restonian blog I wonder how you are, and if you got to see the bluebells at River Bend State Park.

I am well, for varying amounts of well. It's been an adventurous life this spring.

Today is the last day of school. With a few exceptions, I can leave that behind over the summer. But plenty of other work remains.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at May 23, 2017 06:34 AM (u82oZ)

932927 From Drudge: Maxine has her mic cut off during a speech about guess what? (hint, 45) I noticed that the audience was mostly white. 300 adoring fans of Maxine, what a room full of idiots. Maxine is basking in the attention that the MSM is showering her with...They love to hear her talk about impeachment.
Posted by: Colin

So I gather her Congressional District is doing fine then? Low crime, plenty of jobs, etc?

933
Salty, I didn't get to River Bend in time for the bluebells this year, sadly, because it was right around Easter and I had a c
rowd coming and was too busy. But it's okay, they'll be back next year.

Posted by: sock_rat_eez, they are gaslighting us 24/7 at May 23, 2017 06:45 AM (KGH7Z)

941
All Fox News talk about the Manchester bombing is "the children". These murderers don't care about "the children". They don't care about old crippled grandmothers. They don't care about someones race, creed or color. They are crazy, twisted animals. How do you deal with a mad dog? You kill it. As long as people don't want to deal with the problem expect more bombings and death. And stupid talking heads showing Manchester Strong signs. Like that does any good.

943
Bluebell, the RTC thing is America writ small, with an inner coterie despising the very people who underpin their own success. I hope the 55 miles of paths around Reston are still a joy to walk. May you and yours be blessed in abundance.

With school out my elected position calls for more attention. Lots to get sorted and brought into the 21st Century there.

And somewhere, my start-up needs a lot of time and a little money. Any sufficiently low technology is indistinguishable from hard work.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at May 23, 2017 06:46 AM (u82oZ)

944
And stupid talking heads showing Manchester Strong signs. Like that does any good.

Posted by: Case at May 23, 2017 06:45 AM (EnbfO)

There will be a candle-light vigil, and some mumbling about solidarity, and in two weeks, the talking heads will have lulled everyone back to sleep so it can happen again somewhere else, without any effective preventative or retaliatory measures being taken.

Posted by: Cato the Rebel Without a Party at May 23, 2017 06:48 AM (J+mig)

945
Thanks, Salty. It's lovely here right now, although the pollen is unbearable.

You've got a lot of energy - you'll get it all done. Keeps you young, right?